London Councils’ Transport & Environment Committee

Mayor’s Roads Task Force next steps

Item No: 5

Report by: Nick Lester\
Job title: Corporate Director, Services

Date: 24 October 2013

Contact Officer: Nick Lester

Telephone: 020 7934 9905\
Email: nick.lester@londoncouncils.gov.uk

Summary: This covering paper sets out recommendations for next steps to take forward the findings of the Mayor’s Roads Task Force that were summarised in the TEC Executive paper tabled at 18 July 2013 meeting (see Annex 1), and drawing on discussions and conclusions from the officers’ seminar on this topic organised by London Councils and held on 25 September 2013.

Recommendations: Committee members are asked to:

- Ensure that the street-type approach advocated by the Roads Task Force is adopted and addressed in their borough
- Agree that London Councils facilitates work by TfL and borough officers (primarily through LoTAG) to determine a coherent set of criteria to enable boroughs to decide where on the movement and place axes of the street-type framework each road sits

Background

1. In July 2013 the Roads Task Force published its final report and TfL, who provided the secretariat function, published its response alongside the report: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/28187.aspx

2. On 25 September, London Councils organised a seminar for senior borough officers, and key TfL colleagues and representatives of other relevant organisations to increase understanding of what the Roads Task Force’s recommendations mean in practice, and to help boroughs and their partners take them forward.

3. Presentations by Nick Lester and Professor Peter Jones from University College London, Ben Plowden from TfL and borough case studies generated good debate throughout the seminar. The recommendations above have been shaped by that debate and the conclusions it led to. London Councils is keen that boroughs remain engaged on implementing the Roads Task Force findings with TfL and other key partners. Financial Implications

4. There are no financial implications to London Councils arising from this report.

Legal Implications

5. There are no legal implications for London Councils arising from this report.

Equalities Implications

6. There are no equalities implications to London Councils arising from this report. Annex A

London Councils’ TEC Executive Sub Committee

Mayor’s Roads Task Force

Report by: Nick Lester\
Job title: Corporate Director, Services

Date: 18 July 2013

Contact Officer: Nick Lester

Telephone: 020 7934 9905\
Email: Nick.lester@londoncouncils.gov.uk

Summary: This report summarises the report of the Mayor’s Roads Task Force

Recommendations: That Members comment on the report

Background

Last summer, the Mayor set up a Roads Task Force to produce a vision for London’s roads. The task force has just reported and this report summarises the outcome of their work.

The starting point of the report is that for London to work and remain competitive, London’s roads must work.

Roads have 6 functions:

- Moving
- Living
- Functioning (access and utilities)
- Unlocking (facilitating development)
- Protecting (improving safety and reducing accidents)
- Sustaining (reducing emissions and improving the environment)

Achieving some of these ends has resulted in a 20% reduction in capacity for general traffic in central London over the last 15 years with increases in congestion. Forecast growth in London (up to 10m people by 2030) combined with further efforts to improve the quality of places will increase this pressure. London can either accept this, and the consequences will include further worsening of congestion and fewer improvements to localities, or take more radical action to cope. The RTF recommends the latter based on a strategy with three aims:

- transforming conditions for walking, cycling and public transport;
- delivering better, active and inclusive places and new city destinations;
- maintaining an efficient road network for movement and access

RTF believes that a continued high level of investment in public transport, walking and cycling is essential to encourage as much modal transfer away from general traffic as possible. This will give the necessary breathing space to provide some improvements for the remaining traffic.

RTF has proposed a toolbox of measures for intervention on the road network, which include:

- Infrastructure and assets (improving the condition of the road network)
- More efficient use of space
- Intelligent systems and management
- Changing behaviour and managing demand
- Substitute/relocated/enhanced capacity

Which tools are appropriate will depend on both the area and the road itself. The following types of area have been identified:

- A world class city centre
- A dense vibrant inner London
- A network of diverse, accessible and safe neighbourhoods across outer London
- Breathing life back into town centres across London
- Unlocking regeneration and growth across London
- Iconic new inner city quarters
- High quality growth hubs in different parts of London
- Supporting diverse employment and businesses across London

Roads in each of these areas will perform different functions both by virtue of the area they are in and also the road itself. RTF has developed a matrix of typologies of road types depending on their importance for movement but also their importance as a place. These are:

- Arterial Roads (eg A40)
- High Roads (eg A21 Catford)
- City hubs (eg Marylebone Road)
- High Streets (eg Burnt Oak Broadway)
- Connectors (eg A200 Lower Road, Southwark)
- City Streets (eg Oxford Street)
- Local streets
- Town Streets
- City Places (eg Covent Garden) The balance between the different types of functions will vary in these different types of roads, so that the needs of longer distance through traffic will have a higher priority on arterial roads than elsewhere, while the needs of pedestrians will take a higher priority on the city places and streets than elsewhere. Crossing the road will be easier and more convenient for pedestrians in these types of roads, too, and a 20mph speed limit (or lower) should be seen as the norm for city streets and places, town streets and local streets.

**Scale of programme**

RTF considers that London needs a programme of interventions on the road network over the long term that is equivalent to the rail improvement programme currently in place. The suggested scale of this programme is £30bn over the next 20 years. Roads Task Force’s recommendations

The 10 RTF recommendations are:

01. That the Mayor endorses the vision set out in the report as it is necessary to support London’s future competitiveness and makes the case to central Government for a greater investment programme in London’s streets and roads – reflecting their fundamental role in London’s success. At least £30bn over the next 20 years is needed (a comparable level of investment to that made in the vital public transport networks).

02. The Mayor adopts the core principle that the strategy must deliver overall against all three aims: transforming conditions for walking, cycling and public transport; delivering better, active and inclusive places and new city destinations; and maintaining an efficient road network for movement and access.

03. The Mayor accepts the need to be even bolder to achieve this ambition. While the MTS provides an enabling framework, he must go further and faster with particular measures and make use of tools that have not been fully applied, including both demand management and new/improved infrastructure. The Mayor must also recognise that this will entail making choices in particular locations – it will not be possible to cater fully or equally for everyone, everywhere at the same time.

04. TfL, working with boroughs and other stakeholders, should undertake initial feasibility studies into the potential for applying the strategic measures as set out in the report. Initial studies should be completed by the end of 2014. In the interim, a plan for the Inner Ring Road must be developed as a matter of urgency, given the cumulative development pressures.

05. The Mayor must ensure that TfL and the other organisations involved in the management and planning of streets have a fit-for-purpose culture, governance and resources to deliver this vision. This will require changes to be made to how things are done, as well as what is done. The approach must also be better integrated with planning and regeneration policy.

06. TfL and the boroughs adopt and implement the new London street family and street types approach as an aid to their planning and work with stakeholders. An agreed framework and key performance standards and designation of an initial set of roads should be completed before the end of 2014. From April 2014, any scheme being put forward by TfL or boroughs should reflect this approach, and ahead of this there should be early piloting of street types with boroughs keen to adopt this framework.

07. TfL and the boroughs implement measures from across the different toolbox compartments. This should include a strong focus on innovation and trialling new approaches. The Mayor should seek applications from boroughs to pilot some of the innovative measures, supported by the establishment of an innovation fund with the aim of starting five pilot schemes by the end of 2014. TfL should also set out a list of regulatory changes (for DfT and other government departments) to overcome existing barriers – linking with the Government’s red tape challenge.

08. TfL should establish and promote London as a world leader in traffic and road network management, and more widely in ‘smart’ city mobility management and planning. This should use cutting-edge cooperative technology, make use of new data sources and communicate with road users in real time and in new ways to deliver benefits for reliability, customer experience, safety and the environment.

09. TfL should enhance its evaluation of schemes and monitoring of what is happening on the road network. TfL and the boroughs should compile performance indicators, building on existing measures, across the six functions of roads and streets. This should include monitoring of both wider network conditions and the impact of specific interventions designed to deliver the vision. There should be an annual review of progress against the aims and recommendations set out in this report.

10. The Mayor should promote this vision and start a wider programme of engagement with Londoners and stakeholders (representing all interests) about the future of London’s roads and streets. This should include new, exciting ways of engaging and involving people, as well as increasing understanding about the challenges, trade-offs and the need for action.

Next steps and implementation

RTF has identified a series of actions as set out in Appendix 1. These are specific actions and many of them will require action by boroughs, either individually or jointly with TfL.

TfL has also set out its initial response to the RTF report which takes most of these proposals forward.

Financial Implications

There are no financial implications to London Councils arising from this report.

Legal Implications

There are no legal implications arising from this report.

Equalities Implications

There are no equalities implications to London Councils arising from this report.

Recommendations

The Committee is asked to comment on the report Appendix 1 – RTF’s set of actions

Tried and tested interventions

**Short-term**

- Programme of ‘fun streets’ including more VIP days and weekend closures of the Embankment.

**Compartment 2: More efficient/flexible use of space**

- Roll-out of signal optimisation across the wider network, to improve operation, reliability and increase capacity at junctions.

**Compartment 3: Intelligent systems and management**

- Focusing parking and traffic enforcement to address congestion hot spots specifically.

**Compartment 4: Changing behaviour/managing demand**

- Development of car-lite planning framework.

**Short to medium-term**

- Roll-out of green infrastructure, such as low-noise materials and greening to mitigate air quality and noise impacts of motorised traffic.

**Compartment 1: Infrastructure and assets fit for the future**

- Delivery of enhanced cycling infrastructure and environment to achieve the Mayor’s Vision for Cycling.

**Compartment 2: More efficient/flexible use of space**

- Roll-out of pedestrian sensors at crossings.

**Compartment 3: Intelligent systems and management**

- Programme of better streets schemes and public realm/space improvements across London.

**Compartment 4: Changing behaviour/managing demand**

- Programme of smaller scale schemes to address known congestion pinch points across London to relieve congestion.

**Compartment 5: Substitute/re-located/enhanced capacity**

- Programme of larger schemes to tackle priority junctions across London to relieve congestion.

**Medium-term**

- Additional bus priority and transit schemes to enable growth of public transport use and support new developments.

**Compartment 2: More efficient/flexible use of space**

- Potential new pedestrian and cycle-only bridges eg central London garden bridge, Vauxhall Nine Elms Battersea bridge.

**Compartment 3: Intelligent systems and management**

- Programme of schemes to redesign major gyratories across London to transform local environments (linked with wider network mitigation measures).

**Compartment 4: Changing behaviour/managing demand**

- Programme of schemes to redesign spaces at iconic locations to transform local environments.

**Compartment 5: Substitute/re-located/enhanced capacity**

- Programme of schemes to redesign major gyratories across London to transform local environments.

## Trials and innovation

### Short-term

- **Infrastructure and assets fit for the future**
  - Trial of new road layouts using temporary traffic infrastructure, such as cones and plastic barriers, to assess traffic impacts and suitability of projects before permanent installation.

### Medium-term

- **Infrastructure and assets fit for the future**
  - Roll-out of London zero-emission taxi to improve air quality and trial of electric reduction charging for buses and other vehicles.

### Short to medium-term

- **Infrastructure and assets fit for the future**
  - Trial of new street furniture and materials eg. iceberg bollars, photo luminous paint, solar powered infrastructure and interactive bus stops.

### Medium-term

- **Infrastructure and assets fit for the future**
  - Extension of lane rental to cover borough roads and footways in areas of high pedestrian demand and value, such as the West End.

### Medium-term

- **Infrastructure and assets fit for the future**
  - Establishment of a London centre of excellence for smart network management and sharing of expertise.

### Medium-term

- **Infrastructure and assets fit for the future**
  - Trial of incentive scheme to encourage more out of peak travel to reduce the demand in the peak periods and assess the effectiveness of different interventions.

### Short-term

- **More efficient/ flexible use of space**
  - Roll-out of innovative measures to minimise disruption from roadworks eg. micro-surgery, quick set concrete, planting.

### Short-term

- **More efficient/ flexible use of space**
  - Trial of innovative junction design through shared space approach.

### Short-term

- **More efficient/ flexible use of space**
  - Introduction of 20mph limit across central London to improve safety, attractiveness and ambience and full evaluation of impacts.

### Short-term

- **More efficient/ flexible use of space**
  - Structured series of trials in different boroughs to analyse delivery and servicing issues, review the regulations affecting this and test out different measures to improve conditions and shift to out of hours.

### Short-term

- **Intelligent systems and management**
  - Pilot scheme to shift freight journeys from vans to powered two-wheelers and bicycles to reduce the impacts of freight.

### Short-term

- **Intelligent systems and management**
  - Assessment of active network management, using smart signalling, to enable better management of outcomes in central London (2012 Games-style traffic management).

### Short-term

- **Intelligent systems and management**
  - Trial of incentive scheme to encourage more out of peak travel to reduce the demand in the peak periods and assess the effectiveness of different interventions. Feasibility studies for more strategic interventions Potential implementation over medium to long-term

**2013** Develop a programme of targeted interventions in priority growth areas to unlock potential for new homes and jobs.

**Compartment 5: Substitute/re-located/enhanced capacity**

**Medium-term** Initial feasibility studies of potential for flyovers at pinch points to relieve congestion hot spots.

**Compartment 5: Substitute/re-located/enhanced capacity**

**2014** TfL, boroughs and industry to develop proposal for central London out-of-hours freight access to relieve congestion and help improve safety.

**Compartment 4: Changing behaviour/managing demand**

**Compartment 5: Substitute/re-located/enhanced capacity**

**2015** Review of possible locations for roofing over major roads, to minimise motorised traffic impacts, enable development and reduce community severance.

**Compartment 5: Substitute/re-located/enhanced capacity**

**Compartment 1: Infrastructure and assets fit for the future**

Development of Ultra-Low Emission Zone in central London to improve air quality and reduce CO₂ emissions and noise.

## Delivery, processes and funding

| Now | 2014 | Short to medium-term | |-----|------|----------------------| | Lobby for changes to legislation/ regulation to support innovation eg extension of lane rental to footways and borough roads, average speed cameras, low-aspect signals. | Roll-out of training/support programme within TfL and with boroughs and practitioners to ensure wide uptake of proposed new street types framework. | Reflect the key proposals in the RTF report in Local Development Frameworks, including the link between street-types and planning/ development proposals. | | Development of an enhanced monitoring and evaluation programme to better understand the impacts and benefits of different sorts of tools/interventions. | Mayor to establish innovation pot that boroughs/developers/ community groups can bid for funding to undertake trials of low-cost and innovative interventions. | | | Review of TfL governance processes, delivery mechanisms and interfaces with boroughs and developers, including new and improved information, guidance and targets on the TfL website. | Review and classification of London roads into street-types. | | | 2013/14 Feed into London Plan revision to link findings of the RTF to land use planning policy. | Review of suitability of different models for funding investment in roads, including feasibility of a London vignette and tolled new infrastructure. | | | Consider use of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and review CIL charging schedules to support delivery of the aims set out in the RTF report. | Development of a 20-year investment plan for London’s roads and streets including identification of priority locations plus a pipeline of projects (both funded and unfunded). | |